Chloe's Surgery
by Another Bechloe Shipper
Summary: From a Tumblr prompt. Set two years after the epilogue of Chloe's Journey. Prompt revealed in end notes.


"Beca, I don't want to do this."

"Nonsense, Chloe. You're going to feel so much better once they fix things."

"But surgery is scary and I hate hospitals."

"I don't like them either."

"People live for years with hernias, don't they?"

"Yes, but the doctor told us it's better to fix the hernia before it becomes strangulated. That could be very, very dangerous."

Chloe had recently gotten a hernia. She'd been with her daycare kids on a field trip, and as she'd helped a child climb up a piece of playground equipment, she'd gotten a hernia from lifting them. She'd lifted kids plenty of times before, but she'd somehow managed to tear a small hole in one of her ab muscles, causing a piece of her intestine to pop through where it didn't belong. In other words, she had a ventral hernia. She'd had some nausea and felt a weird bump in her abdominal region. At Beca's insistence, she'd gone to her doctor, who had told her to see the general surgeon. The surgeon had immediately suggested she schedule the surgery to correct the problem before it became serious.

Chloe had refused, but Beca pushed her to go ahead and have the surgery. She'd reminded Chloe that waiting to have the surgery could mean a long hospital stay if things went badly. The surgery would be outpatient, barring any complications.

"What if I have issues with the painkillers?"

"We have a plan," said Beca. "As soon as you tell me you don't need them anymore, I'm taking them to one of the drop boxes." Their area had several anonymous drop boxes for people to use to safely dispose of prescription medicines. Ashley, Beca's Al-Anon sponsor and fellow former Bella, had helped Beca locate several within a five-mile radius of their home.

"I know. The whole thing is scary. The last time I was in a hospital was when I'd gotten alcohol poisoning, and the time before that was when my father died."

Beca squeezed Chloe's hand. "I spent a ton of time keeping my mom company when she was in the hospital when she was sick. I don't like them either, but I keep telling myself that it's going to suck even more if something awful happens because we left the hernia untreated. I'll be there when you wake up, and I'm going to work from home while you recover."

"Okay," said Chloe. "Besides, I've already arranged for the time off of work and everything. I'll go."

"Good," said Beca. "Now, let me fix you some tea to help you relax before bed. We have to be up early tomorrow."

* * *

Beca groaned when the alarm went off at 5 am. She nudged Chloe awake, and she grabbed a few Pop-Tarts while Chloe was in the shower. She figured eating in front of Chloe was a little rude since she wasn't allowed to eat anything.

Chloe was quiet for the ride to the hospital. Beca grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze, knowing there was likely nothing she could say to make her feel better. Chloe's knee bounced up and down for almost the entire ride.

Luckily, the surgery team was ready for Chloe. They took her vitals, gave her a pregnancy test, despite Chloe and Beca's insistence that there was absolutely no way she could be pregnant, and then she was prepped for surgery. Beca promised Chloe again that she'd be at her side when she woke up, gave her a kiss, and then sat in the waiting room.

Beca tried to get some work done from the waiting room, but the constant stream of people in and out of the room and her uneasiness about Chloe being in surgery made concentrating difficult.

Beca stood up immediately when the surgeon walked into the waiting room.

"How is she?" asked Beca

"She's great," he said with a smile. "I took care of the hernia and patched her up. She'll have to keep the stitches dry, and you'll need to help her change the dressing often for a few days. But she can go home with you in a few hours. I'll give you a few prescriptions you can fill downstairs at the pharmacy."

"How strong are they?"

"Relax. I know Chloe's history. I have two for her. One is a narcotic, but the other is just a high dose of ibuprofen. I think, after the first day or two, she can probably just take the ibuprofen."

"Thanks."

"Follow me. I'm sure she'll want to see you. Oh, and she just got a dose of painkillers, so don't give her any medicine for the next few hours. And try to get her to eat something with them in case they irritate her stomach."

"I will."

Beca saw Chloe sitting up in her bed, her hair a mess as she slowly sipped some ginger ale.

"Hey, Chloe," she said.

"Hi, Beca," she said. "I have a confession to make." Her words were slurred, courtesy of the painkillers, eyes almost comically wide. "I…I'm super queer and hopelessly in love with you."

"I…I know…we're _engaged_, sweetheart," said Beca with a chuckle. The nurse in the room laughed at Beca's response.

"We are?" asked Chloe, causing the nurse to laugh even harder.

Beca pointed to the diamond ring on her left hand and produced Chloe's out of her pocket that she'd been holding for her when the surgical team asked her to remove her jewelry.

"Can I put it back on her?" Beca asked the nurse.

"I don't see why not."

"Wow," said Chloe. "I'm so lucky."

Beca gave her fiancee a kiss on the forehead. "Yes, you are," she said. Chloe's eyes shut almost immediately.

Beca sat with Chloe for a bit while the woman dozed off and on.

She got her home and periodically checked on Chloe, who spent most of the day sleeping off the anesthesia. She managed to get some work done since she was no longer spending her time worrying so much.

She texted Ashley to let her know that Chloe was faring well and asked her to let the rest of the sponsor family know.

When she woke Chloe to get her to eat something and take her first dose of painkillers, she suggested she let her AA sponsor know how things were going. Beca didn't know who Chloe's sponsor was, and Chloe didn't know who Beca's sponsor was. It was one of the very few things they didn't share with each other. Beca was especially careful to keep the identities of her sponsor family to herself because Ashley was a former fellow Bella and Sheila, Ashley's sponsor, was Beca's stepmother.

Chloe texted her sponsor, thanked Beca for the soup, and fell back asleep almost immediately after eating and taking her medicine.

* * *

The next day, Chloe was far more alert. She'd insisted on switching to the high dose of ibuprofen. She said she was a little sore, but she told Beca she'd rather be a little sore and have her head together. She urged Beca to dispose of the narcotics. Beca was worried that Chloe might need them later, so they compromised. Beca said that if Chloe made it twenty-four hours without need them, she'd get rid of them.

Chloe was feeling well enough to sit at the kitchen table for dinner. Beca decided to tease her fiancee, figuring she'd had no idea what she'd said when she'd woken up from the surgery.

"So, do you remember what you told me when you woke up from the surgery?"

"Not even a little bit," said Chloe. "I don't remember much about being in the hospital, which is a good thing."

"You confessed that you're super queer and hopelessly in love with me," said Beca.

"I did _not_."

"Oh, you did," said Beca, laughing. "The nurse found you very amusing, especially since you'd tried to get out of the pregnancy test, informing her that I am the only one you've slept with for the past couple of years."

"I remember the conversation about the pregnancy test. I should have told them you are so good in bed that I never want to sleep with anyone else ever again."

"Well, I'm glad you didn't take it that far. I think the engagement rings kind of explain that for us."

"I was just annoyed. It's a stupid hospital policy."

"I know that. I guess they just have to be absolutely sure."

"Yeah. It's kind of dumb."

* * *

The next day, Chloe proudly told Beca she was ready for her to get rid of the painkillers.

"Are you sure?" asked Beca.

"Totes," said Chloe. "I didn't like them, and I don't want them around. I'd hate for someone visiting to come across them."

"I'll leave right now," said Beca, taking a permanent marker to hide Chloe's name and private information. "Back in fifteen minutes. Love you!"

"Love you more!"

"Love you most!"

"Okay, Rapunzel."

* * *

Chloe spent most of her recovery watching movies and having Beca remind her to rest. Beca tried waiting on her hand and foot, but Chloe became cross and insisted that she needed to get out of bed before she lost her mind.

Both women were relieved when Chloe was able to return to work.

As they lay in bed one night after Chloe had gotten back to work, Chloe said, "Thanks, Beca."

"For what?"

"Taking such good care of me."

"Of course," said Beca. "I'm sure you'll return the favor if I ever need it."

"Totes," said Chloe. "I love you, Beca."

"I love you too, Chloe."

* * *

**A/N: Tumblr prompt:**

"I have a confession to make." Her words were slurred, courtesy of the painkillers, eyes almost comically wide. "I…I'm super queer and hopelessly in love with you."  
"I…I know…we're engaged, sweetheart."


End file.
